And I would supposethis afternoon to be,for us, some piece of history,both strolling throughcrisis after crisis,hearts beating heart beatsand blood warm, flowingthrough us as we walk betweensuch cold walls,older than a Duke,but never as wise as this love of minenor as fragile asthat historic moment inside the Castlewhen once you smiled at meso wonderfully.

KEITH ARMSTRONG

Alnwick Castle, Northumberland

(published in From Both Sides of Hadrian’s Wall, Contemporary poetry from south Scotland and north England)